30 at Hawai'i audition make next 'Idol' cut
By Wayne Harada
Advertiser Entertainment Writer
About 30 of an original 2,000 "American Idol" hopefuls in Hawai'i have made the cut to proceed to the next level of competition in Hollywood this winter.
Rebecca Breyer • The Honolulu Advertiser
Judges Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson saw about 65 in auditions over the weekend at the Sheraton Waikiki's Hanohano Room. Some tryout footage will be shown on "American Idol" next year, with Hawai'i sights as the backdrop.
"American Idol" judges Paula Abdul and Simon Cowell saw about 65 in auditions over the weekend in Waikiki. The names of 30 who advanced will not be released yet.
At Saturday's auditions, all three judges were particularly pleased with a 16-year-old local candidate whom Cowell — normally caustic with putdowns — praised as "one candidate who's the best of all we've seen this year."
Names of the successful candidates will not be released for several months. Those selected have signed confidentiality clauses.
"Idol," hosted by Ryan Seacrest, will start airing in mid-January for its third season. Tryouts took place in Honolulu, Houston, Atlanta, New York and San Francisco.
About 2,000 jammed Aloha Stadium Sept. 29 and 30 for the first go, singing for separate panels of producers and preliminary judges. Of those, 145 — including 80 from Hawai'i — advanced to the next round, performing for more producers Oct. 1 and 2 at the Sheraton.
And now the waiting begins.
"American Idol" fans — or at least Clay Aiken fans — will still have diversions, however: Hawai'i fans of Aiken, the runner-up in this year's "American Idol" series, can participate in a national fan rally on Oct. 13. Aiken's debut CD, "Measure of a Man," comes out Oct. 14.
Bev Robinson, a Honolulu Aiken fan, said fans from more than 75 cities across the United States, Canada, Germany, New Zealand, Singapore and others are participating in the rally. Robinson plans to participate, calling it "a first in the music industry."
Aiken admirers will gather at 9 p.m. Oct. 13 at Dave & Buster's at Ward Entertainment Center, where Aiken videos will be shown, leading up to a live performance on the "Tonight" show with Jay Leno that evening.
Fans also plan to swarm Tower Records at 611 Ke'eaumoku St. to be in line for the 12:01 a.m. Oct. 14 launch of the disc.
The intent, Robinson said, is to make "Measure of a Man" a platinum seller — meaning to move 1 million copies — in one day.
Details: E-mail clayparty@yahoo.com or visit www.redhottopic.com.
Reach Wayne Harada at wharada@honoluluadvertiser.com, 525-8067 or fax 525-8055.
